RIDING THE PLAINS. 187 



and chasing it hopelessly about, to our great 

 amusement. Once they ran into a giant por- 

 cupine about the size a setter would be, with 

 shorter legs which did not understand running 

 away. They came upon it in a dense thicket, 

 and the ensuing row was unholy. They man- 

 aged to kill the porcupine among them, after 

 which we plucked barbed quills from some very 

 grieved dogs. The quills were large enough to 

 make excellent penholders. The dogs also swore 

 by all canine gods that they wouldn't do a thing 

 to a hyena, if only they could get hold of one. 

 They never got hold of one, for the hyena is a 

 coward. His skull and teeth, however, are as big 

 and powerful as those of a lioness ; so I do not 

 know which was luckier in his avoidance of 

 trouble he or the dogs. 



Nor from the shooting standpoint did we lack 

 for sport. We had to shoot for our men, and 

 we occasionally needed meat ourselves. It was 

 always interesting, when such necessities arose, to 

 stalk the shy buck and do long-range rifle prac- 

 tice. This shooting, however, was done only 

 after the day's hunt was over. We had no desire 

 to spoil our lion chances. 



The long circle towards our evening camp 

 always proved very long indeed. We arrived 



